Poland
Poland is a country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast (a Russian exclave) and Lithuania to the north. Poland was reconstituted as an independent country in 1918, composed of territories from the Russian and German Empires. During the Second World War, Poland was invaded by Nazi Germany, in conjunction with the Soviet, and and subsequently occupied by those two countries. Many escaped to France and formed various units that continued the fight. After France fell, the Polish government-in-exile relocated to Britain. More than 200,000 men and women went on to serve in what became known as the Polish Forces in the West. Second World War Units Navy *Cruisers: **ORP Dragon (Danae class) **ORP Conrad (Danae class) *Destroyers: **ORP Burza ("Storm") (Wicher-class) **ORP Grom ("Thunder") (Grom class) – lost 1940 **ORP Błyskawica ("Lightning") (Grom class) **ORP Garland (G class) **ORP Orkan (M class) **ORP Ouragan ("Hurricane") (Bourrasque class) **ORP Piorun ("Thunderbolt") (N class) *Escort destroyers **ORP Krakowiak ("Cracovian") (Hunt class) **ORP Kujawiak ("Kujawian") (Hunt class) **ORP Ślązak ("Silesian") (Hunt class) *Submarines: **ORP Orzeł ("Eagle") (Orzel Class) **ORP Jastrząb ("Hawk") (S class) – lost 1942 **ORP Wilk ("Wolf") (Wilk class) **ORP Dzik ("Boar") (U class) **ORP Sokół ("Falcon") (U class) Army *Polish I Corps (1945 composition) **1st Polish Armoured Division ***10th Polish Armoured Cavalry Brigade ***3rd Polish Rifle Brigade **4th Polish Infantry Division ***1st Polish Grenadier Brigade ***2nd Polish Rifle Brigade ***8th Polish Infantry Brigade **16th Polish Indendent Armoured Brigade **1st Independent Parachute Brigade *Polish II Corps (1944 composition) **Army Group Polish Artillery **Polish 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division *** 1st Carpathian Rifle Brigade *** 2nd Carpathian Rifle Brigade **Polish 5th Kresowa Infantry Division ***5th Wilenska Infantry Brigade *** 6th Lwowska Infantry Brigade **Polish 2nd Armoured Brigade *No. 6 (Polish) Troop, 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando (later expanded into the 2nd Motorised Commando Battalion) Royal Air Force *No. 300 "Masovia" Polish Bomber Squadron *No. 301 "Pomerania" Polish Bomber Squadron 1940 to 1943 when 301 Bomber Squadron merged with 300 Sqn. *No. 301 "Pomerania and Defenders of Warsaw" Polish Transport "Special Duties" Squadron 1944 to 1946. *No. 302 "City of Poznań" Polish Fighter Squadron *No. 303 "Kościuszko" Polish Fighter Squadron *No. 304 "Silesia" Polish Bomber Squadron *No. 305 "Greater Poland" Polish Bomber Squadron *No. 306 "City of Toruń" Polish Fighter Squadron *No. 307 "City of Lwów" Polish Fighter Squadron *No. 308 "City of Kraków" Polish Fighter Squadron *No. 309 "Czerwień" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron *No. 315 "City of Dęblin" Polish Fighter Squadron *No. 316 "City of Warsaw" Polish Fighter Squadron *No. 317 "City of Wilno" Polish Fighter Squadron *No. 318 "City of Gdańsk" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron *No. 663 Polish Artillery Observation Squadron *No. 145 Fighter Squadron Polish Fighting Team (Skalski's Circus) Notable people *Władysław Anders, commander of Polish II Corps (remained in Britain post-war with brother Karol) *Józef Bartosik, Polish Navy officer (remained in Royal Navy post-war) *Jacob Bronowski, developed mathematical approaches to bombing strategies for RAF *Andrzej Kowerski, SOE agent *Józef Kosacki, Polish Army officer and inventor of the Mine detector Mark I *Stanisław Maczek, commander of 1st Armoured Division (remained in Britain post-war) *Jadwiga Piłsudska, Air Transport Auxiliary pilot *Krystyna Skarbek, SOE agent *Stanisław Sosabowski, commander 1st Parachute Brigade (remained in Britain post-war) Polish military personnel